The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-12-16


existed ararng the comparatively few buyers
ia attendance 70 prevent fair competition and
70 secure the purchase q tho lots al iess
wards sold privately by the syno1eate
ana the profits which should have heen real.
lied by the Governments we're diYlaeQ
amongst lis members It is believed that *
the sales could be held at Hot Springs the re-
sulting Increase IN the number OF bidders
would render such combination impraetieahie,
and much higher prices would be realized ,4e
This experience has deferred tue department.
from authorizing any sales OF lots since tie last
aunti0n, in May, 1884. And any further sales
would seem to be inadvisable under existing
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
There are also about 10 500 Indians scattered
over the public domain ana not living on any
thereforh no specific Information OF then tn-
dustrial pursuits is 90 hand.
ports of the various United STATES indian
agents 10 the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs
represents that OF the remPiniug i96, 600 Indians
under their supervision, about 5000 wear eitl.
cupied bv fheuas that about asoo0 can speais
English with sufacient intelligence for ordinary
conversations that more than 1880 OF their
children are IN schools receiving edueationat
and industrial training, for whom 231 schools
are in operation. and that over GOO families
are engaged in industrial pursuits. They have
rods OF fencing, produced over 100000 bushels
Of wheat, $4,000 bushels Of corn, $4,000
and rye $4,000 bushels OF veEeta-
bles and 81 00O pounds Of butter. Besides tha
ABOVE, they nave gathered Tor use ana sttiN GQf-
siderable quantities OF wild rice. berries, herhR,
furs, fish and snake root. 5tc. They have sawed
l,lSSVss deeS OF iulaper, c9I t1u9 cokus OF ss,51
horses, 5000 mules, 1l900l cattle, a6000 swine
and 100000 sheep. Droughts have seriously
affected the yield OF their crops the past year.
Whilst these results are generally gratif tying,
they fal far short OF guaranteeing an sarly
consummation OF our pollcy OF complete
Indian civilization. And I can only reitsrate
the conviction expressed in former reports
that the Indian race has reached crisis
s. Surrounded
forces OF civilizations; ell the reservations
closed in and pressed upon BY ever.tn-
creasing masses Of population, made up cf i'm
petuous daring and aggre. sive settlers, miners,
ranohmen and traders; with no possibility ot
mountain fastnesses. the only alternative pre-
sented to the Indian race is absolute extinction
OF quick entrance into the pale Of American
PRrvArr GRANTS.
Another subject which, I wouiS respectfully
suggest, demands immediate Legislation, is
the matter of private grants claimed 10 be
derived from the Spanish or Mexican Gov
ernments. This legislation. IN my opinion
should be directed TO two points, % To pro
viding for o trial and final determination Of
such claims, subject only 70 appeal 70 the Sg-
preme Court; (2) On act u limitations barring
the presentation Of new claims Of this char
aeter within a stated period.
BY section s of the act OF July "a, 1a54 90
Statutes, $685. it is made the duty of the
Surveyor General OF New Mexico TO "asoertain
the origin. nature. character and extent OF all
claims 10 lands under the laws, usages and
customs OF Spain and Mexico" 1te is 60 make
the validity or the inyalidty Of the same, which
report shall be laid before C0ngreaa for
action, and until nnal action Of Cone
gress such claims all lands covered
thereby shall be reserved from sale or other
disposal by the Government. Under the pro-
visions OF this laws fHdn time 90 time since its
passage, many CLAIMS have been made and
acted upon, whilst number are yet pending
before Congress unacted upon. The extent
and number of the unconhrmed claims can not
be accurately made. and those heretofore pre-
sented seem to grow enormously in area with
each passing year in the issuance or patents
thereon. Al the present time IL ia upprozi-
mately estimated that the amount 81 public
ment because of such clanns is IA little short OF
6OO0, 900 acres Most of tiis land has beon thus
reserved for many years, used, enjoyed or trans
ferred and sold as freely by tho pretended
claimants as though their titse had been fully
confirmed.
IN regard 20 the lands under Mexican or
Spanish title thus held in reservation This de-
partinent IS powerless to act, as such fescrTu-
tionE are established by act ot Congress, ana
must continue pcrpetualY until that body acts.
The well-Snown fact that bV means of such
claim possession can be readily ohtaihed ana
retained OF large bodies of land has very much
to DO NV with ,snt their Con continue , ID p
pass the ordeal Of the Surveyor Generals
once, where the examination IS eE parte, often
perf1nctory. superficial and possibly errone-
Gus, "A favorable report being obtnined1 the
law steps in upsets the jurisdiction oftne Land
Department from the claimed territory, BeRre-
gates it from the public domain, and the claim
ant. under this most ehadowy and often color
less pretense OF title, is installed and projected
in the enjoyment OF all he claims as fully as
Millions OF acres Of public lands hr@ thus
hello Dy claimants, md have been heId for
many years, In some instances for more than
thirfsT we r ~"~n = ~ss.f instances tho LANDS
"A "a fasfA